Reinhold kusserow



NITED STATES PATENT Fines.

REINHOLD KUSSEROW, OF BERLIN, GERMANY.

POULTICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Iletters Patent No. 545,593, datedSeptember 3, 189 5.

Application filed'May 1, 1895. Serial No. 547,723- (No specimens.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, REINHOLD KUSSEROW, a subject of the King of Prussia,German Emperor, and a resident of Berlin, in the Kingdom of Prussia andGerman Empire, have invented Improvements in Oataplasms or Poultices;and I do hereby declare the nature ofthe said invention and in whatmanner the same is to be performed to be particularly described andascertained in and by the following statement thereof-that is to say-This invention relates to a cataplasm or poultice.

While use has heretofore been made for cataplasms or poultices ofoat-meal, linseed, or similar substances which give off the heat slowlyand which are placed in a wrapper or cover, recourse has recently beenhad, for the sake of simplicity and cleanliness, to an artificial-mealcataplasm or poultice; but the latter has also been found to beinadequate, for all hot cataplasms or poultices employed up to thepresent time have the defect that they not only give off the heatunevenly, but retain the same for a very short'time-that is to say, fromabout ten to at most thirty minutes. As compared with them, thecataplasm or poultice made according to my said invention possesses thegreat advantage of retaining the heat for hours, and also giving ofi theheat quite uniformly. Moreover the improved cataplasm or poultice isextremely simple and clean in use and in the handling and may be appliedas long and as often as desired.

For producing this cataplasm or poultice I employ a bag, tube, or othercover of watertight material. Into this cover is placed a mixture oflinseed-meal and sodium acetate. It is expedient to take abouttwenty-five parts, by weight, of linseed-meal and seventy-five parts ofsodium acetate; but it should be distinctly understood that the scope ofmy invention is not limited to these quantitative proportions. As foundby experience, these proportions generally give the most advantageousresults, and they may be considerably modified, according tocircumstances. After it has been filled the bag or other cover isclosed, so as to be water-tight, and the cataplasm or poultice is inthis state put in the market. I

Prior to its use the cataplasm or poultice is put in boiling water,which is kept at the boiling-point until the contents are melted.According to the quantity of the mixture introduced into the bag orother cover, this operation will take about twenty to thirty minutes.After the lapse'of three hours, the temperature of the cataplasm orpoultice will still be about centigrade, so that an extremely effectivecataplasm or poultice having a uniform action is obtained for casesWhere it is desired to continuously conduct heat to any part of thebody. For this purpose the cover is preferably made in the form adaptedas much as possible to the part of the bodyto be treated.

' In lieu of linseed-meal I may also use any of the other materialsgenerally employed for cataplasms or poultices without departing fromthe nature or scope of my said invention.

The acetate of soda used is the ordinary acetate of soda of commerce,and not thedry acetate of soda. This ordinary acetate of sodacrystallizes with three molecules of water, and

when heated to about 60 centigrade melts, I

and upon again crystallizing gradually yields back the heat consumed inmelting.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of thisinvention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare thatwhat I claim is- A cataplasm or poultice consisting of a mixture oflinseed meal and sodium acetate contained in a water-tight flexiblecover.

REINHOLD KUSSEROW.

Witnesses:

LUDWIG KONIG, MAX WAGNER.

